Posts by Mark Darwin
Singapore needs to embrace Bitcoin to maintain status as financial hub: Jeremy Tan
[SINGAPORE] Singapore needs to welcome Bitcoin-related businesses to maintain its status as a global financial hub, said retired businessman Jeremy Tan at an event on Wednesday (Jun 11). The 34-year-old rose to prominence last month during the general election as one of just two independent candidates, pulling in 36.16 per cent of the votes in…
Read MoreChina stocks soar on AI, trade hopes. Which are the country’s ‘Terrific 10’ firms?
[SINGAPORE] Chinese stocks have see-sawed since late last year, as investors reacted to factors ranging from government stimulus, artificial intelligence (AI) and US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. The Asian giant’s companies had experienced a lengthy bear market in the past few years, with investors flocking to US markets. Last October, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng…
Read MoreAirbus revises up 20-year jet demand forecast despite trade tensions
[PARIS] Airbus revised up its forecast for airplane demand over the next 20 years on Thursday, telling investors and suppliers the air transport industry was expected to ride out the current wave of trade tensions. The European planemaker said it expected the industry it and its US rival Boeing dominate to deliver 43,420 commercial jets between 2025…
Read MoreApac data centre boom straining power grids; reliability key to site selection: report
[SINGAPORE] Surging demand in the Asia-Pacific (Apac) for data centres and other energy-intensive sectors is starting to weigh on power systems across the region, affecting grid reliability and increasing costs. Reliable electricity supply is now a key factor in decisions on where to site and build facilities for data centres, semiconductor and electrical vehicle battery…
Read MoreCapitaLand China Trust to raise 748 million yuan via divestment for C-Reit listing
[SINGAPORE] CapitaLand China Trust (CLCT), a CapitaLand Investment subsidiary, is set to raise up to 748 million yuan (S$134.9 million) through the divestment of CapitaMall Yuhuating, a mature retail asset in Changsha. This is part of its participation in the proposed listing of CapitaLand Commercial C-Reit (CLCR) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. CLCT will dispose…
Read MoreUS: Stocks rally fades after China trade framework
[NEW YORK] Wall Street stocks finished lower on Wednesday despite positive movement in the US-China trade conflict and a benign US inflation report. Following two days of talks in London, top US and Chinese negotiators announced a “framework” agreement late on Tuesday that included Chinese concessions on rare earth materials and Washington allowing Chinese students to study…
Read MoreUS: S&P 500, Nasdaq open near record levels after May inflation data
Published Wed, Jun 11, 2025 · 09:42 PM [NEW YORK] The S&P 500 and Nasdaq opened near record levels on Wednesday (Jun 11), as a cooler-than-expected inflation report calmed concerns around tariff-driven price pressures and fanned expectations for interest rate cuts. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 16.0 points, or 0.04 per cent, at the…
Read MoreHaidilao operator Super Hi swings to US$11.9 million Q1 profit on forex gains, delivery growth
[SINGAPORE] Super Hi International, the operator of Haidilao’s international business, posted a net profit of US$11.9 million for the first quarter ended Mar 31, reversing a net loss of US$4.5 million in the same period the year before. The turnaround was mainly driven by a US$20.4 million reduction in net foreign exchange losses due to currency…
Read MoreAirAsia’s 100-jet Paris order pits Airbus A220 against Embraer
[PARIS] Low-cost carrier AirAsia is poised to order about 100 regional jets at the Paris Air Show next week, with the Malaysian airline still undecided between the Airbus A220 or Embraer’s E2, according to people familiar with the matter. Negotiations with the manufacturers are coming down to the wire, said the people, who asked not…
Read MoreSouth-east Asia’s polymer production crisis worsens as US-China trade shift looms
[SINGAPORE] South-east Asia’s petrochemical industry is facing a double whammy of weakening export demands and potential import surges, as trade tensions could redirect US polymer to the region’s already-saturated market, sustaining pressure on production. Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), as crucial downstream segments, are encountering “considerable challenges” in the region, noted commodity markets intelligence firm…
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